The present invention relates to automated fee collection machines, and in particular, parking meter fee collection machines that provide printed output in the form of decals, receipts, stickers, or other tangible media as evidence that fees for parking or other activities have been paid or credited.
In the parking and permit fee collection industry, a number of methods have been devised for collecting fees and for providing payees with proof of having paid the required fee. Some systems depend on the integrity of the patron, such as those in which the patron is given an envelope to place the fee in and a tear-off stub to serve as a receipt. However, this system offers no immediate method for verifying that the fee has actually been paid. Thus, a dishonest person can take the receipt without having paid the required fee. The risk that such a person""s failure to pay the fee will be detected is low. Despite these shortcomings, such xe2x80x9chonor-basedxe2x80x9d collection systems are in wide use because they are inexpensive to install and because they require no power source, which may be difficult to provide in remote locations.
The collection of fees for fee-based activities using unattended collection stations has long been practiced. In particular, in connection with the collection of fees at an automobile parking lot, armored boxes having slots through which fees may be deposited have long been used. In many instances, the individual parking spots in a parking lot are numbered, and a corresponding numbered slot in the armored box is provided. In use, a user parks his or her car in a numbered slot, and deposits the appropriate fee in the slot corresponding to the chosen parking spot. The user fee is then held in an individual box within the larger armored box corresponding to the numbered slot. Enforcement of the prescribed charges requires parking lot personnel to travel to the fee collection box, remove a padlock securing the cover of the armored fee collection box, and to manually ensure that the proper amount has been paid for each of the occupied parking spots. Although the system employs mechanical components that are simple in design and relatively inexpensive, they suffer from a number of disadvantages.
Among the disadvantages of such slot-type fee collection boxes is the ease with which fraud can be perpetrated against the parking lot owner. For instance, an accurate accounting of a day""s receipts relies entirely on the attentiveness and honesty of the person collecting the fees. Therefore; there is little disincentive for an attendant to forgo stealing all or a portion of the collected fees. In addition, it is relatively easy for a user to pay less than the prescribed amount without penalty. For example, a user may submit payment for one hour of parking, yet use the parking space for more than one hour. Such underpayment is difficult to police without frequent checks by parking lot personnel of the fees collected and the cars parked in the lot. Another example of underpayment is where a patron, having paid for a full day""s parking fee, leaves earlier in the day, and that person""s place is then taken by another, who does not pay. In this instance, the lot foregoes fees that could have been collected had use of the individual parking spots been accurately tracked.
An additional disadvantage of such fee collection boxes is that they require a user to have exact change. Also, they provide the user with no receipt to prove proper payment, and no reminder of when the time paid for has expired.
With respect to user fees collected by state and national parks, an honor system has typically been used. Generally, an armored box having a slot for insertion of the proper fee is provided. A user who, for example, wishes to pay for a camping spot must typically enter the number of the camping spot on a provided envelope, place the proper payment in that envelope, and slide the envelope through the slot of the armored box. Although a tear-off receipt is often provided, there is no independent verification that the proper fee has been paid. Also, such a system offers no way for a user to know whether any camping spots remain, without actually traveling to the desired spot and making a determination as to whether the spot is occupied. Furthermore, because such unattended fee collection boxes are often located in remote areas, it is often difficult to send park rangers or other personnel to collect paid fees and to ensure that users have made proper payment.
More sophisticated fee collection systems include electronic means to detect whether a specified amount of money has been provided to a collection box. These systems may then provide the patron with a receipt. However, such systems typically require that the patron take the printed receipt to, for example, a park ranger, before receiving the required decal or other method of proving that the required fees have been paid. Also, such devices lack flexibility in the types of permits and fees charged by any one such machine. These machines also lack the ability to be integrated within a larger network. Furthermore, such devices typically require a large amount of power, making installation in remote locations difficult.
In the context of fee collection devices for use in parking lots, automated systems may allow a user to purchase the use of a spot and issue the user a printed receipt indicating the time paid for and serving as proof that the fee has in fact been paid. Other devices may issue the user a printed ticket at an entry gate, and encode information regarding the date and time of entry on a magnetic stripe. Upon returning to the parking lot to remove his or her car, a user may pay the incurred fee at an automated device. This device may determine the proper fee by reading the magnetic stripe on the issued card to determine the amount of time the parking spot has been in use. The parking machine may then encode the stripe on the issued ticket as being paid, and allow a prescribed amount of time for the user to exit the lot. The user exits the lot by presenting the validated ticket to a card reader associated with the exit gate. The ticket is then collected by the exit gate, and the user is allowed to leave the lot.
However, these automated machines suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, it is difficult to re-program such machines to perform different or additional functions. This is because conventional automated fee collection devices have employed microcontrollers having a single operating program hard coded in associated EPROM, EEPROM or ROM. Accordingly, re-programming such devices generally requires that the entire program be erased and a new program encoded in memory (e.g. in the case of EPROM and EEPROM), or replacement of the entire chip (e.g., where the microcontroller has ROM). Regardless of the type of memory, the re-programming of a microcontroller requires that the fee collection device be shut down. Also as a result of the use of microcontrollers, the number of functions that such devices can perform is severely limited. Therefore, such devices have generally been provided with only one operational mode.
Additionally, conventional automated fee collection devices are difficult to service. In particular, the opening of such devices to service the interior removes the devices from service, as essential componentry on the cover is then disassociated with internal components. In addition, even during servicing that does not require removal of the machine face plate, other servicing operations also require the machine to be removed from service. For instance, any changes made to the operating program of the machine require that the existing program be entirely erased from memory, and a new program, containing the changes, be loaded in its place. Because the entire program must be erased and then replaced, the machine is unable to function during such operations. Exiting automated fee collection devices also are vulnerable to vandalism and theft.
For the above stated reasons, it would be advantageous to provide a method and apparatus for the automated collection of fees and dispensing of tickets. In particular, it would be advantageous to provide a method and apparatus for automatically collecting fees and making a record of payment that can be easily modified to perform different or additional functions. In addition, it would be advantageous to provide such a method and device that is economical to operate and reliable.
The present invention discloses an apparatus for collecting fees and dispersing permits, which avoids or alleviates the problems discussed above. The present invention allows an unlimited number of fee amounts and permit types to be collected and dispersed from one machine. The device has low power requirements, and includes features to protect the internal components from the effects of weather and from attempts at theft.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an automated system for collecting fees and distributing permits and receipts is provided. The device includes at least one printer used to create receipts and permits. The provided printers may incorporate thermal resin transfer technology to provide permits and decals that do not discolor over time, thus allowing their use as annual passes, or in other applications where longevity is important. The included printer or printers may also provide a bar code on the printed receipt or pass, enabling the device to allow the return of previously issued passes.
The present invention also provides an apparatus that is capable of completing multiple transactions during one use session. Therefore, a user may, for example, purchase both a camping and a boating permit during one session. These permits may then be charged to the same credit card. Additionally, transactions may be paid for in cash or coin.
It is another object of the present design that the device may be fully functional even while being serviced by a technician or attendant. Thus, patrons can deposit coins, bills, or use a credit card even while the access door is opened. This is made possible by having the ticket/change dispensing chute being interconnected to the bottom of the protective housing, as opposed to the access door. This configuration allows the various ticket dispensing chutes, coin and bill change chutes to be fully functional with the access door open.
In yet another aspect of the invention it is an object that the coin acceptor chute be substantially tamper proof, and that the ticket/receipt chute be constructed in a manner which prevents the tickets and receipt from being stuck in the metallic chute, even during periods of low humidity when there is significant static electricity. Thus, the coin acceptor chute has been designed with a xe2x80x9cbayonetxe2x80x9d design which can be easily cleaned and which has drainage apertures to allow the drainage, of contaminates prior to entering the coin hopper. Additionally, the ticket/receipt chute is preferably equipped with an air blower which pushes the tickets, receipts and decals downward to the dispensing tray.
A device constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention further includes a radar proximity sensor to sense the presence of a user and bring the device from a xe2x80x9csleepxe2x80x9d mode to an operating mode. This improves the user-friendliness of the device and allows the device to consume relatively little power. Therefore, the device is easy to use and may be placed in remote locations where access to dedicated power lines is unavailable. To further enhance the user-friendliness of the device, an embodiment constructed in accordance with the present invention includes a touch-sensitive video screen, allowing users to select items from a graphical interface. This interface is highly customizable, and may be used to provide text and graphic images, as well as receive input from the user.
In another aspect of the present invention, the machine includes a computer for controlling the machine. Preferably, a plurality of operating modes are provided, allowing the machine to be used in a variety of settings, without requiring costly modifications to the machine itself. The provided operating modes may include xe2x80x9cpay on footxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cpay and displayxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cpay by spacexe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cparks passxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ctheaterxe2x80x9d or other modes. These operating modes are stored in easily modified or replaced computer files. For instance, files can be modified or replaced by loading modified or new files onto the computer""s hard disk drive from a floppy disk or other drive using removable media, or by using a communications link with another computer.
In a further important aspect of this device, a bar code reader or scanner is included for use by patrons. Thus, a patron who purchases a particular camping spot and wishes to later change spots, may do so by presenting the receipt generated during the earlier transaction to the device. The scanner of the device may then read the earlier transaction from the receipt, and allow the patron to change camping spots without losing credit for the nights paid for but not spent at the first selected camping spot. Should the second selected camping spot be offered at a different cost from the first, additional payment may be required from the patron at that time, or a refund issued. Further, the system may issue reservation receipts to allow patrons to pay in advance for various permits or fees. Of course, changes made by the patron after the initial selection may be logged by the device and such information made available to the operating entity.
In a further aspect of the device, receipts, decals, and stickers may be custom printed by the device for each patron. Thus, the device need only store blank receipts, stickers, decals, or vouchers. Specific information, such as the camping spot reserved and the number of nights paid for, may be tailored to the particular transaction. Passes allowing access to particular areas may be reverse printed on clear printing stock for placement inside the windows of patrons"" vehicles. Of course, pre-printed decals, tickets or vouchers may be stored in the machine for dispensing to individual patrons either as is, or with additional information, such as a serial or transaction number, printed thereon when the decal, ticket or voucher is issued. As mentioned above, receipts may be generated to allow the patrons a means for proving payment, and for changing initial selections by having the bar code printed by the machine for that particular patron read by the machine""s scanner.
In a further aspect of the invention, security features are provided to issue warnings to persons attempting to steal from or vandalize the machine. These warnings may be verbal, and may become progressively sterner if tampering persists. Attempts at tampering with the machine may also activate a provided camera to capture a visual image of the perpetrator. A connection to emergency or other personnel can be established over a provided communications link, allowing the machine or a user to communicate with offsite personnel in the event of an emergency.